Girl, 12, beaten by classmate, for wearing crucifix - update

Boy told police he struck girl for wearing cross on chain

(ANSA) Terni, May 15 - A schoolboy of African origin
attacked a 12-year-old-girl at a school in central Italy because
she was wearing a crucifix on a neck chain, police said Friday.
The boy punched the girl violently in the back at the
entrance to a middle school in the town of Terni on Thursday and
the girl's mother caught the boy, who subsequently told
Carabinieri paramilitary police he attacked the girl because she
was wearing a crucifix, police sources said.
The boy, who first attended the school some three weeks
ago, had bullied the girl over the past four days, insulting her
and picking on her in other ways all because she was wearing the
crucifix, the sources said.
Nevertheless police stopped short of charging the boy with
any offense since he is a minor, the sources said.